Yue: Map & History
Yue, also known as Yuyue, was a state in ancient China which existed during the first millennium BC – the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods of China's Zhou dynasty – in the modern provinces of Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu.
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Yue, also known as Yuyue, was a state in ancient China which existed during the first millennium BC – the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods of China's Zhou dynasty – in the modern provinces of Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu. Its original capital was Kuaiji ; after its conquest of Wu, Yue relocated its court north to the city of Wu. Yue was conquered by Chu in 333 BC.
Modern Countries Once Part of Yue
At its mapped extent, Yue covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Yue's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Yue in Depth
History
A specific kingdom, which had been known as the "Yue Guo" (越國) in modern Zhejiang, was not mentioned until it began a series of wars against its northern neighbor Wu during the late 6th century BC. According to the Records of the Grand Historian and Discourses of the States, the Yue are descended from Wuyu, the son of Shao Kang, the sixth king of the Xia dynasty.
With help from Wu's enemy Chu, Yue won after several decades of conflict. The famous Yue King Goujian destroyed and annexed Wu in 473 BC. Yue then inherited Wu's good relations with Jin, and the two became allies. In 441 BC, Jin and Yue invaded Qi, whereupon Qi erected the Long Wall to prevent Yue attacks from southern Shandong.
Yue reached their apex in 404 BC, when they, along with their ally of Jin, invaded Qi and Lu.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Yue (state) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Yue: Key Facts
| Capital | Yecheng |
|---|---|
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 334 BCE |
| Dissolved | 110 BCE |
Facts from Wikidata Q1936158 (CC0).
Yue Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Yue appears, with the other states of the time.
Yue Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 188,597 km² in 428 BCE.
Yue: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Yue exist?
Yue is dated to 500 BCE – 334 BCE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Yue?
The capital of Yue was Kuaiji, later Wu.
How large was Yue at its peak?
At its peak in 428 BC Yue covered about 188,597 km².